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Sunday, February 19, 2012

Planning

Hello friends,

My last post I was having a little fun with where we are going in the spring...to SPAIN! I am really excited and a little nervous. Going to the grocery store with children can be challenging at times, let alone taking them across seas! Well I am sure I will have my work cut out for me.

I have spent a few nights trying to find accommodations, and have had great success using www.airbnb.com. Have you tried this way of traveling? If so what were your experiences using this site? I find that regular hotels will not be able to accommodate my family and our needs.

The toughest part about traveling is eating...you never know where to go or what you are going to get. I will do most of our cooking, picking up supplies at the local markets and grocery stores. I am also looking into taking a cooking class over there. I think it would be fun, and interesting. TAPAS STYLE!

Anyhow my time is pretty consumed with the planning of our trip at the moment. Here are a few of the things I have been making this week. I totally forgot to post my Valentines dinner, it was yummy! We have also been eating more pasta then usual...

Hi! How fun your going to Spain. We go to Italy all the time to visit my inlaws with kids. I wanted to tell you that I've written a travel series about traveling with infants and toddlers. You can read part one here: http://littlehomesteadinthedesert.blogspot.com/2011/11/tips-for-traveling-with-toddler-and.html

You can follow the link with in links to the other two parts in the series. It's full of helpful hints. You dishes look so yummy!

Oh my goodness! How exciting!! Don't worry, it's actually easier to travel overseas with them when they're very young. I think...We went to Ireland with a 3 year old and a 10 month old. It was fairly easy since the little one was still nursing and the 3 year old was still small enough to carry everywhere!xoxo

We are 100 per cent apartment rental peeps when traveling. I find, for me at least, it's a lot easier because of the kitchen aspect, and with my diabetes, it's hard to eat out ALL the time. So the apartments give us the opportunity to have some meals at home... and I also like that you're not on anyone else's schedule when in an apartment – it feels more homely; like you're part of the culture.

I'm late on this (slowly catching up on my google reader), but I love airbnb and similar options (we used Bookabach in New Zealand). We've found whole houses to rent for the same price as a single hotel room in the same area. It's such a money-saver to have a kitchen; it's so much easier just to make your own stuff. I like going out to eat, but it's not always practical. My tips are to find local grocery stores beforehand and figure out the types of things you want to eat. I don't know the length of your trip, but it usually wasn't worth it to buy a whole bottle of, say, olive oil, so I'd bring a small bottle with me, or baggies of seasonings I use often. Some homes are stocked with staples, others aren't. We're going to Maui in May, and groceries are very expensive there, so I'm going to pack at least pasta and peanut butter in my luggage to save some cash. Hope this helps - you're going to have a wonderful trip!